Quickly Sinking Rose
by sunniebelle
Summary: With the death of her father still heavily on her mind, the Doctor takes Rose on a new adventure to a rainforest planet. Unfortunately, his jeopardy- friendly companion gets in over her head when she gets separated from the Doctor and a massive predator decides that Rose is on the menu. Will the Doctor reach her in time?
1. Chapter 1

"Now then, Rose Tyler, outside those doors is Monteverde. The planet, Monteverde, not the earth's rainforest, Monteverde. You'll love it. A fantastic place! A whole planet that is..." the Doctor's excited explanation of where they had just landed abruptly halted as he turned his steel-blue eyed gaze away from the monitor and onto his companion, seeing her stare blankly off into space.

Impatience and irritation, at the fact that he was being ignored, warred with a desire to comfort his grieving companion, and he tamped his irritation down quickly. After all, it had only been a few days since Rose had watched her father die...twice.

The Doctor had kept them mostly inside the TARDIS since then, trying to be sensitive to her loss and let her have time to grieve. However, the TARDIS had informed him that morning that she was continuing to have nightmares nearly every night. Though he had subtly tried to get her to talk about them, Rose consistently tried to pretend nothing was wrong.

He had decided a new adventure was in order, a distraction for her from what she had lost and a distraction for him from his quickly intensifying emotions. Namely his emotions concerning his jeopardy-friendly, pink and yellow and very beautiful, brave, clever, and fantastic human companion, whom he very much wanted to take into his arms and kiss until she was breathless and...

 _Oi! Knock it off! No way are you going down that road_ , he mentally chastised himself. _Very dangerous road, that is, with a steep cliff at the end_.

"Rose?" the Doctor questioned as he placed a hand lightly on her shoulder. She jumped slightly at the contact, as though she had been in deep contemplation. He could see the shimmering moisture in her eyes that told him she was trying to hold back tears, a look of pain desperately trying to be masked in her beautiful amber-brown eyes. It made his hearts hurt to know that he was partially the cause of that pain.

She visibly shook her head. "Sorry. What were you saying, Doctor?"

He briefly wondered if taking her into another adventure was a good idea, especially when she seemed so distracted today. He quickly brushed the thought aside, feeling a bit selfish because he wanted to show her this planet.

"I was saying that this planet is a tropical rainforest. Literally, the entire planet is one enormous rainforest. Oh, and there are some variety of plants that are poisonous to the touch, so be careful not to touch anything unless I tell you it's safe."

When she nodded, he said, "The TARDIS has provided you with some clothes choices that are appropriate for the climate."

She nodded again and turned to walk from the console room. He watched her until she disappeared from sight and felt the TARDIS's hum in his mind change to one of worry for Rose.

"I know. Me too, old girl. I think she just needs time," yet, he could only hope he was right. If Rose wound up wanting to go home, he knew it would destroy him.

He turned back to the console to make repairs that weren't really needed, wondering all the while how one pink and yellow human could have worked her way so permanently into his life and hearts.

* * *

Rose walked down the corridor trying not to let her mind wander too far. Every time she did, it only brought back painful memories from the week before. Her thoughts lately were constantly plagued with memories of witnessing her father's death at the hands of a hit-and-run driver, then the Doctor's death by Reapers because of a stupid and thoughtless choice she made, followed quickly by watching her father sacrifice himself to fix her mistakes and save the world. Her turmoil over the events of that day had been haunting her sleep, causing her to have vivid nightmares and her thoughts to wander to dark places during the day.

After her thoughtless actions that day, Rose had been utterly shocked when the Doctor had let her stay aboard the TARDIS rather than take her home. Rose's heart had soared when she had heard the Doctor declare to that idiot Adam that he only took the best as his companions and that she was his best. Yet, after the events and words exchanged between them last week, she had begun to doubt that the Doctor saw her as that anymore.

Rose was no longer his best. She was the cause of bringing the Reapers, of creating a Paradox...and of causing the Doctor's death. Rose feared that she had all but proven the Doctor right, that she was just another stupid ape, figuring that all it would take was one more mistake, no matter how large or small, to make him want to dump her back on Earth for good.

She forced all of these morose thoughts aside as she looked over the TARDIS's clothing choices. She selected a pair of beige cotton trousers, a white tank top and an indigo blue long sleeve shirt, all lightweight and breathable items, but would still protect her skin. She put on a good pair of thick walking socks and her favorite trainers. She then wove her hair into a tight French braid, not wanting any loose hair to snag on branches.

Finally ready, she walked back toward the console room and saw the Doctor sitting on the jump seat, his leather-clad arms crossed and staring at the green-tinged rotor that stretched to the ceiling.

"Ready?" he asked her, without turning around. She had grown used to his ability to sense when she approached, what with his superior Time Lord senses and all.

"Whenever you are," she said, plastering a smile on her face as he stood and turned toward her. His eyes skimmed over her outfit and landed on her face, studying her eyes. She knew he could see right through her façade, but she couldn't let her guard down for fear of giving him one more reason to take her home.

"What's in there, then?" she asked, satisfying her curiosity for the contents of the pack sitting on the jump seat and trying to keep him from asking about her emotional state.

"Snacks, water canteens, sunblock, raincoats and pith helmets—since this is a rainforest, after all—and rope," he said, though his eyes were still studying her.

"I get all the rest of that stuff, but why the rope?" she asked.

"To keep you from wanderin' off," he said with a smirk. She couldn't hold back her grin and it warmed the Doctor's hearts to see her give him the first tongue-in-teeth grin since the Reapers incident.

"Shut up," she said, giving his arm a playful smack. The Doctor slung the pack onto his back as he chuckled.

He held out his hand and she took it readily, their fingers linking together like puzzle pieces, a perfect fit. She enjoyed the feeling of safety and security that came from this simple gesture of their friendship. She didn't allow herself to imagine what it would feel like if one day that hand were no longer there to hold. That was a dark, lonely path she would rather not dwell on.

"Right, on to the next adventure!" the Doctor said, his enthusiasm contagious.

As they stepped outside the TARDIS doors, she felt her senses being overwhelmed as she tried to take everything in at once. Almost instantly the heat and humidity were stifling, making her grateful for the lightweight and breathable clothing she had on and that her hair was up off her neck.

Everything had a faint orange-ish glow that the Doctor said was caused by the light from the planet's twin suns—each massive and bright orange, located at opposite sides of the planet's equator—reflecting off the moisture in the air.

The trees towered so high above her that she had to tilt her head back, almost uncomfortably, to see the tops, which left her feeling slightly dizzy and very much amazed. The trees themselves looked slightly fuzzy, due to the moss that covered their trunks like a thick blanket. The thin, rope-like vines that hung from the tree limbs swayed gracefully in the breeze, making it look like the trees were waving at them, welcoming the two foreigners to this magical world.

The plants around them varied in shades of yellow-green to a deep, almost black, green. Flowers, many of which were the size of her head, were dressed in a multitude of brilliant colors, gracing her eyes with a rainbow of lovely colors. Her nose caught the wonderfully rich, earthy and flowery scents wafting in the wind and she breathed deeply, reveling in them.

As they walked through the jungle the sounds, which seemed to come from every direction, were almost deafening. The hum of insects and pattering of animals scurrying along the ground, the musical calls of various birds and the loud, frightening calls of primate-like animals. In the distance a loud predatory call, sounding somewhat like that of a tiger sent a shiver up her spine.

Rose loved that in these past few minutes, all thoughts of the horrors of the previous week had fled her mind. The sights, sounds and smells were a balm to her bruised and aching heart.

"What is this planet called again?" she asked, her eyes huge and her voice telling of her awed wonder at the beauty around her.

The Doctor looked down at her and then back at the scenery, as though looking at it through new eyes—through her eyes. He loved watching her expressions and joy at seeing new places, trying to see things as she did.

"Monteverde," he said.

"As in the Earth's Costa Rican rainforest?" she asked, looking up at him.

"Yes and no. The entire planet is a rainforest, not just one specific area as it is on Earth. Also, the variety of flora and fauna is vastly different because of the twin suns providing a different climate. Although, some of earth's rainforest foliage was descended from here, hence the name," he explained.

"Really?" she asked, slightly surprised.

He smiled and answered with a simple, "Yep."

A few paces further, a large purple butterfly-like insect floated in front of Rose's face, flitting in mid-air as though it was curious about who these pale creatures were. Completely captivated by the beautiful sight, Rose stopped and stared, causing the Doctor to stop as well and smile at the look of wonder on her face—he was as entranced by her as she was by the insect.

The beautiful creature was as large as her whole hand, from wrist to fingertip, with a body resembling that of a dragonfly and the wings of a butterfly. A moment later it flew away and they continued on their way. Rose's eyes and ears took in everything she could and the Doctor felt proud that his choice of planet could please his companion so much.

He started in on a lecture, Rose listening intently as he explained the history of the planet and pointing out interesting plants, animals and insects. He mentioned that this planet was basically a reserve for harboring rainforest wildlife that was endangered or extinct in other areas of the universe; therefore, it was uninhabited except for scientists who studied the plants and animals, and rangers that worked to keep poachers away. She couldn't help but laugh heartily when he proudly told her of the rare type of banana that he had helped to bring out of extinction by relocating here, from a dying planet half-way across the galaxy.

As he talked, she let her hand fall from his to turn in a circle and look all around her. The Doctor's hand felt empty and he had a strong desire to take her hand again. He instead continued his lecture as he walked on, trusting that she was following.

A few minutes later Rose stooped to inspect an interesting plant that caught her eye, but remembering the Doctor's warning about touching anything, she kept her hands firmly on her knees. The plant looked like a fern, although this plant was bright yellow with dark green spots on the bottom side of the leaves. She thought it was beautiful and asked the Doctor what kind of plant it was.

When she received no answer she looked up and then quickly stood to her feet, looking all around her. "Doctor?" she called out when she didn't see him or hear his voice.

She had been so captivated by the beauty of the plant, she had not noticed the fading sound of the Doctor's voice as he walked on, thinking she was still beside him. She walked in the direction they had been headed, hoping it wouldn't be long before the Doctor would notice her absence and come looking for her.

She was grateful for the generous amount of light filtering through the trees, illuminating the trail and helping to dispel her worries. She kept her mind focused on finding the Doctor and not on the beauty around her, knowing that when she caught up with him she could question him about the plants she had seen.

Within another few minutes she came upon a split in the trail, causing her to stop and her heart to pick up its pace a bit. She was suddenly kicking herself for getting separated from the Doctor, knowing that one mistake like this could be all it would take to make him kick her off the TARDIS.

She closed her eyes and forced herself to take a deep calming breath. When she opened her eyes she looked for clues as to which path he may have taken. As she was studying the ground, her peripheral vision caught movement and she looked up with a smile on her face expecting to see the Doctor.

The smile froze, then faded from her face, her body going rigid as the air caught in her throat.

A few hundred paces in front of her was an enormous jungle cat, its hungry-looking, captivating yellow eyes boring straight into hers.

* * *

 **Notes:** This is my first Doctor Who fan fiction story! This would be between "Father's Day" and "The Empty Child" in the timeline of season 1 of Doctor Who.

I welcome constructive criticism and/or suggestions, especially since I am new to the DW fanverse and want to make this story as believable as I can. :) I hope it is enjoyable!


	2. Chapter 2

The Doctor could smell the change in the air, signaling the beginning of the rain shower that would start soon. He was unsurprised when, a few moments later, the first raindrop hit the shoulder of his leather jacket.

Removing the pack from his back, while relaying some interesting tidbit of information to Rose about the rainfall and the planets ecosystem he thought she might find interesting, the Doctor reached inside to pull out one of the raincoats. The rain would not affect him, since he could regulate his body temperature. Rose on the other hand, being a human, was much more susceptible to catching a chill or numerous illnesses when she was soaking wet.

The Doctor turned around to hand the raincoat to Rose and was taken aback when he didn't see her. He thought she had been right behind him this whole time, simply too mesmerized by the beauty around her to say anything.

"Rose?" he called out. He hoped she would jump out of the foliage to revel her success at her joke, but there was no answer. He called her name louder, a hint of desperation entering his voice. This was no place for her to go getting lost or to go wandering off alone.

There were countless dangers for her to get herself into—numerous varieties of poisonous plants, snakes large enough to swallow a grown man, carnivorous predators, quicksand, and that was just to name a few.

Cursing himself for not paying closer attention, the Doctor quickly shoved the raincoat back into the pack and set off at a run, retracing his steps. He tried to force his mind to stop playing out all the possible things that could happen to his jeopardy-friendly Rose.

However, his mind and body froze when he heard a shrill scream pierce the air. The sound chilled him to the bone and twisted his gut into a knot. There was not a doubt in his mind that the scream belonged to Rose.

His hearts raced and his legs started running toward the sound, seemingly of their own accord. Mere moments later he heard another sound—one which sent ice through his blood and forced his legs to move even faster.

A gunshot cut through the air like a thunderclap.

Very rarely had he ever heard Rose scream, but that particular kind of scream, combined with the gunshot, told him that something had gone very, very, horribly wrong.

The sky suddenly opened and rain poured from the sky. The Doctor's feet pounded into the wet, mushy ground and his terrified hearts pumped like mad.

 _Hang on Rose, I'm on my way!_ He thought towards her, hoping against hope that he wasn't too late and that the universe, for _once_ , would be kind.

Rose stood frozen in place, staring at the largest jungle cat she had ever seen. Its fur was pitch black and lacked the spotted pattern that Earth's jungle cat's usually had, but still sported a resemblance to a jaguar—though she also thought it had a slight resemblance to pictures she had seen of saber-toothed tigers.

It stood taller than her by more than a foot and had teeth as long as her forearm. Its eyes were a haunting bright yellow and seemed to stare into her soul. She had to glance away, knowing she shouldn't stare at wild cats, though cat was too tame a word for this terrifying creature.

Rose tried to calm her breathing and slow her heart rate, to not let it sense her fear, but as it crept slowly toward her—its giant paws as large as her head, a hissing growl escaping its powerful jaws—Rose felt a shiver of fear race down her spine. She tried to think of what to do, but felt frozen in place, her mind blank and numb.

As she studied the ground she realized that the left trail, which was currently being blocked by a massively intimidating and incredibly dangerous beast, had shallow footprints that looked about the size and shape of the Doctor's.

 _Of course, the trail I need to be on is going to be the trail that is blocked by a dangerous animal,_ Rose thought sardonically.

She tried to quickly come up with a plan, but she thought that the moment she moved, the creature would most likely pounce on her. Even now, it was playing a terrifying game, waiting patiently to see what she would do.

Rose was pretty sure there was very little chance she could outrun the beast, at least, not for long; but if she cut through the forest, she might be able to make it back to the trail the Doctor was on.

Suddenly an idea popped into her brain, a way to distract the massive panther-like creature and a way to possibly get the Doctor's attention. Rose took several deep breaths, preparing her lungs, since she knew she would only get one shot at this.

She took one last deep breath, closed her eyes tight, threw back her head and screamed as loud as she possibly could.

As soon as she opened her eyes, she dashed to the right trail, forcing her legs and arms to pump as quickly as they would go.

She had seen the surprised look on the cats face, which gave her a few precious seconds to spurt forward, but she knew by the sound of the pounding steps behind her, the lithe animal was quickly on her heels.

Rose made a mad dash to the left, sprinting into the protection of the trees, weaving around the massive trunks to try and slow the animal's pursuit. She heard the skidding screech of the animal's claws in the dirt and the pounding steps as it resumed its deadly chase.

Many of the trees were packed closely together and Rose tried to stay as close to those as she could, weaving through them to try and create distance between her and the jungle cat. It seemed to be working, since the sound of the animal's footsteps were a bit distant, so Rose kept weaving through trees as best she could.

She was so focused on running and making sure she didn't slip and fall from the tree roots and foliage at her feet, she didn't notice the first few raindrops that hit her body before the deluge of water came.

Somehow Rose managed to find a wide open path again—whether it was the one she had been on previously, the one she had been hoping the Doctor was on, or a new one, she didn't know. Yet suddenly, she was out of the protection of the trees, where the massive predator would no longer be hindered by the close proximity of the trees.

The other problem she noticed right away was that the tree canopies were no longer sheltering her from the rain. Within seconds she was completely soaked.

Rose wasn't sure how much longer she could keep up this pace and forced her mind to abandon the thoughts of what being mauled to death might feel like.

Without warning a tall man was suddenly stepping onto the path ahead of her, blocking her way, but she kept running towards him. Her heart leapt in hope that it might be the Doctor, but quickly abandoned that thought when she saw a noticeable lack of leather jacket. She couldn't make out any facial features through the pouring rain.

Before Rose could decide what to do, she saw him raise the long barrel of a riffle. It was aimed directly at her!


End file.
